Tag Archives: travel

I want to tell you about the cool things going on in Toronto. It’s a really neat city that’s super close to New York and is cheaper to get to the most US cities. Luckily, I have friends there who were able to show me all around the interesting places, and avoid all the toursit traps. We went to Kensington Market that was made up of all sorts of homey and inviting shops that just scream “come check me because I will probably have sorts of stuff you won’t find anywhere else.” This was true indeed. We also got to eat some amazing churros infused with chocolate and dulce de leche cream. I didn’t know that such a thing existed but once I found it, I keep returning to the market just for the churros. Here was where I found the groovy hat in the picture beneath. I found it at a vintage store for about $8.50 US dollars! Any avid vintage shopper knows just how pricey vintage items can be, so this was quite a steal. It is now my favorite hat!

I was lucky enough to be in town for Toronto’s biannual Vintage Crawl. Vintage Crawl is when all the vintage stores in the city stay open until midnight, offer AMAZING deals on merchandise and offer free drinks, beer and snacks. Some stores even had live Dj’s. I guess they figure the more you’re eating, drinking and dancing, the less attention you’re paying to the money flying out of your wallet. They’re probably right, because I bought several items, and every single person I went to the crawl at least bought one item. I’ve never been to the vintage crawl on Brooklyn, but I had such a good time in T. Dot that I will certainly check it out the next time it crawls around.

That’s me at Toronto’s largest monthly queer hip hop party, Yes Yes Ya’ll! Toronto has a pretty progressive queer and polyamorous community, so being able to experience just taste of it was a treat. The entire placed was packed and the crowd was incredibly diverse. They also played a variety of music types, from old school hip to current hip hop as well as reggae and dancehall ( Canada has an extremely large Caribbean community, with their being more of Caribbean descent in Canada than in the actual Caribbean).

I also went to the Textile Museum of Canada, which had several interesting exhibitions, but one of my favorites was about kimonos. I also went to check out “This Is Not A Toy,” curated by Pharell Williams at the Design Exchange, which was all about… TOYS!

( Me looking like a nerd attempting to wear a kimono)

( Snapshot from “This Is Not A Toy)

I was able to do so amazing cool things in just the 4 days I was there. If you’re looking for a quick get away this summer, jut look up!

This past weekend I traveled with BRAG to Washington, DC. Many clubs often have end of year trips, which is great because it gives students to check out other places around the world, for a fraction of the price. If the organization makes an effort, holds fundraisers to raise money, then the school is willing to help to donate funds. Sometimes, students have to pay, but it’s only a fraction of what the entire trips cost. Of course, the club is only allowed to go it there is some educational value attached to that, like attending a conference or meeting with another chapter at a different university’s campus.

These trips promote club bonding, and people get to explore some pretty places too. We got to do all that educational stuff, but we also got the chance to explore DC and eat some great food! The club bonding is incredibly valuable, since, as I’ve mentioned before, the fashion industry is all about who you know. When you are involved in clubs at school you are beginning to create you fashion allies!

( BRAG at the Martin Luther King memorial)

Other clubs also go on yearly trips. The international trade student association usually goes to the MAGIC show in Las Vegas, but this year they are going to Miami for a different conference. The jewelry club is going to Seattle and the Black Student Alliance went to visit Atlanta this weekend.

FIT provides some many opportunities for students to explore throughout the country. This is a huge difference from my old university, and as a traveler, I am very much appreciative of the opportunities. I will continue to take advantage of all these opportunities that arise, and you should too!

I’m a treadmill kind-of lady. Even though everyone just assumes elliptical are for chicks (current misconception) I only use them when I don’t have enough time to fully workout. In the days where I really want to go the extra-mile I run (more like fast jog haha) on the treadmill. I recently discovered that even if it is winter (in Rome not really) sometimes you just need to go outside and breathe some fresh air. While it can be very inspirational looking at your fat jiggle in the gym’s mirror (really makes you GO at it) there is a whole world outside waiting to be discovered.

Since I’m in a new city (maybe you are too) , what better way to notice bits and pieces you miss during the daily routine than by running at a new park every weekend. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a runner but I do my best to stay on track. This past week with the company of my roommates (which make sure I don’t give up) we visited two amazing parks in different neighborhoods. The first one, Villa Doria Pamphili is a 5 minute walk from school and was built in the 17th century. Since it is on the top of a hill in Monteverde the air is cleaner (your lungs will thank you later) and the sun feels warmer. This park is made of 1.8 sq km of pure green freshness, perfect for picnics, running (any sport really), photography, reading and so much more. It was my first visit, but not my last.

On the other hand, Villa Borghese park was built in 1605 and is full of culture, art and perfect foliage. It is preceded by the Spanish steps (haha yes, more steps, this is warm up) and then opens up into tall pines, gravel tracks and lawns. Inside you can find (well take a break in) the Galleria Borghese adorned by sculptures of Bernini and paintings by famous artists such as Raphael, Caravaggio and more.

As I mentioned before, tread-mill is how I’ve been doing it but honestly it’s about to become how I used to do it. Rome is full of interesting spots and enchantingly mysterious places that you otherwise wouldn’t notice (btw so is NYC). Also, AUR has a running club which offers fun runs of 5 and 10K which I plan on doing (they include free memorabilia). I will be training and discovering Rome at and around these parks. If I were in your feet I would suggest you do that too. Here go ahead and just put one foot in front of the other:

Many of you may be from out of the state and be in need of traveling tips to head home for the much needed and deserved winter break. Since I’m from Michigan, a plane ride back home is on the itinerary. Here are some steps on how to make your break the smoothest and best one yet:

Pack light. While we are going to be away from FIT for about a month, you don’t need to pack everything that is in your dorm or apartment. Pack all of the essentials and leave what you don’t need on an everyday or weekly basis back in the city.

Check out of the dorms. If you are living in the residence halls, be sure to officially check out in the lobby with your ID and student ID number.

Plan ahead on how to get to the airport. While taxis are constantly flowing throughout the city, I think it’s better to have your car service planned ahead of time, and it might be much, much cheaper! You can take a personal Uber car to the airport or many airport shuttles such as NYC Airporter, SuperShuttle, and my personal favorite Go Airlink Shuttle (a shared van ride one way is $10.80! Super inexpensive!).

Print out your boarding pass in advanced! Save time at the airport and no waiting in lines!

Have cash on you just in case. Plus, there’s an Auntie Anne’s pretzel shop in the airports, so that’s basically a travel requirement.